Livestock could be sent off island for slaughter

Pork producers say they will not be able to meet orders in time for Christmas with the abattoir closed

Livestock in Jersey could be sent to Guernsey for slaughter after operations were suspended at the island's only abattoir, the government has revealed.

Damage was caused to parts of the abattoir during Storm Ciarán, and asbestos was found when builders tried to fix it, meaning it will not reopen until mid-December.

Deputy Tom Binet, minister for infrastructure, said the government was trying to "overcome" a law that prevented live animals from being imported for slaughter in Guernsey.

The Guernsey government said it was "keen" to help but also needed to protect its own breed of cow, making processing Jersey beef "problematic".

Katy Hackett has called for compensation for farmers

Deputy Binet said: "They've been scouring the UK to see if they can find a suitable portable abattoir that's ready to go.

"At the moment, they can't find anything that would be that would be ready here and assembled any sooner than we can repair our existing abattoir."

Katy Hackett, a pork producer at Brooklands Farm in St Brelade, said the company would now not be able to get orders ready in time for Christmas.

She said: "It does need to be fixed as soon as possible, but I think there should be some sort of financial help for farmers in Jersey.

"We're all potentially going to have a loss so that is damaging, especially for small companies like us."

The abattoir will be closed for repairs until 18 December

Mr Binet said the government would consider compensation once the abattoir was fixed to determine how much meat producers had lost out financially.

David Chamberlain, States Veterinary Officer for Guernsey, said: "We, the States Vets, and the Abattoir Team are keen to help relieve the situation in Jersey.

"We are looking to assist by processing some of their livestock in Guernsey."

He said processing beef from Jersey was "particularly problematic" because there had not been any imports of cattle into the Bailiwick of Guernsey for "well over 100 years" in order to protect the "iconic Guernsey breed of cow".

He added: "We want to help our colleagues in Jersey, but must make sure we don’t set a precedent that could threaten our island breed.

"I am working with the finest law officers to try to find a solution.”

'Creaking under demand'

Jim Carter, manager at Trinity Farm, said 2023 had been a "frustrating year" due to "more than one breakdown" at the abattoir.

He said: "It was designed for the island Jersey cow, which was a lot smaller than the cows we have now.

"We've been importing genetics or international genetics since 2008 and we're also using beef breeds now on the island.

"These animals are all bigger and heavier, so the abattoir is creaking under this demand on its facilities."

Jim Carter said there had been "more than one breakdown" at the abattoir in 2023

Mr Carter said the States needed to look at investing in a new facility.

"The island needs to be as food secure as possible.

"By investing in a new abattoir, that would make us meat secure; as we know we are milk secure here on the island."